Hilde Goossens paints to remember. Then she cuts the painting into strips to distort the memory.
Working from photographs taken during travels, she begins each work on paper by printing a faded image as an underpainting guide, then builds up layers of acrylic until the photograph has become a painting. She paints the image suggestively and reduces it to its essence. Then comes the defining act: she cuts the work into straight vertical strips and reassembles them in a new sequence. The original image shifts. Something recognisable remains, but the brain needs a moment to find the logic of what has moved.
Most collage draws on found or appropriated material. Goossens works exclusively with self-generated source material, painted specifically to be cut. Making work in order to unmake it is another form of the same inquiry: what survives the distortion, and what is irretrievably lost?
Her practice investigates the unreliability of memory. By the time she begins painting, details have already begun to fade. The slicing continues that process. What emerges are not representations of places but residues. Visual echoes that retain enough to trigger recognition while acknowledging the gaps inherent in remembering.
Goossens graduated with great distinction from Sint-Lucas Ghent in 1997. She works from her studio in the Flemish Ardennes. She has exhibited at Mu.ZEE (Ostend), Textielmuseum (Ghent), and Stadsmuseum Sint-Niklaas (SteM). Solo presentations include Zebrastraat (Ghent), De Weverij (Evergem), and Cultural Centre De Meent (Alsemberg). Her work is included in the private collection Merode (Ronse).
Born in 1978 in Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
Works and lives in Sint-Maria-Oudenhove, Belgium
solo exhibitions
2026, crete X bilbao, Atelier, Sint-Maria-Oudenhove, Belgium
2026, Notes from Crete, CC de Meent, Alsemberg, Belgium
2025, Vacation Memories, Groenhove Torhout, Belgium
2025, lisboa X côte d'azur, Atelier, Sint-Maria-Oudenhove, Belgium
2025, A Sense of Place, BCP Art Belge Gallery, Rivoli Brussels, Belgium
2024, Atelier, Sint-Maria-Oudenhove, Belgium
2024, Thuis, Kunstkamer Oudenaarde, Belgium
2023, Atelier, Sint-Maria-Oudenhove, Belgium
2022, Altijd Onderweg, De Weverij, Evergem, Belgium
2022, Atelier, Sint-Maria-Oudenhove, Belgium
2021, Onderweg, Yes Art Gallery, Sint-Idesbald, Belgium
2019, Onderweg, CC de Meent, Alsemberg, Belgium
2019, Onderweg, L'Atelier, Aalst, Belgium
2018, Onderweg, Expo18, Ostend, Belgium
2018, Onderweg, Casa 93, Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium
2017, Galerij Huis Huis, Ghent, Belgium
2017, Kunstroute Oosterzele, Pastorie, Balegem, Belgium
2016, Artist of the month, Zebrastraat, Ghent, Belgium
2016, Structuren, ID+Art Center, Hamme, Belgium
2015, Af-wachtend, Theater Scala, Ghent, Belgium
2015, Af-wachten, Public Library, Zottegem, Belgium
2008, Lines, Castle of Blauwendale, Waasmunster, Belgium
2008, Lines: the Second Episode, Pastorij, Sombeke, Belgium
2006, 't Latemke, Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium
2006, Au Bord du Lac, Eke, Belgium
selected group exhibitions
2026, Gift Shop, C-Mine, Genk, Belgium
2026, Restriction, Akademie Waregem, Belgium
2026, La Capella, Weert, Belgium
2026, Intieme Interieurs, Hamme, Belgium
2025, Small Matters, Green Door Gallery Biennale, Brussels, Belgium
2025, Schilderkunst, CC Zwaneberg, Heist-op-den-Berg, Belgium
2025, NAFT Kunstenfestival, Stedelijk Museum Sint-Niklaas, Belgium
2025, Winterwarm Wunderwall, De Weverij Evergem, Belgium
2024, Augmented Reality, CAS Zottegem, Belgium
2024, Tree Time, Kasteel Blauwendael Waasmunster, Belgium
2024, Promenades, Flooat Gallery, Aalter, Belgium
2024, CAS Oostende, Belgium
2023, Home, The Green Door Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
2023, Coupee Cahier, Industriemuseum Ghent, Belgium
2023, De intimiteit van papier, ID Collectief, Hamme, Belgium
2022, Circus Humanus, Heemkring, Hamme, Belgium
2021, Lustrum, Overzicht 2016>2021, Zebrastraat, Ghent, Belgium
2021, Licht, Kunstforum De Koolputten, Waasmunster, Belgium
2021, Schatten zoeken in Schetsboeken, Kunstroute, Hamme, Belgium
2020, Onderhuids, Kunstforum De Koolputten, Waasmunster, Belgium
2019, Landscap, Square42, Ostend, Belgium
2019, Gelaagdheid, DACA loft, Hamme, Belgium
2019, It's time Square42 show!, Ostend, Belgium
2018, VLOT, Square42, Ostend, Belgium
2018, COUP/E/E, Brussel Noord, Belgium
2018, Kastelenkunstroute, Zottegem, Belgium
2018, Kunstroute Oosterzele, Ijzeren hekken, Landskouter, Belgium
2017, Post-Art from the Edge, 't Grijze Huis, Ostend, Belgium
2017, See@Sea, Square42, Ostend, Belgium
2017, Crux Interpretum, ID Collectief, Hamme, Belgium
2017, Sporen, het landschap als herinnering, Hamme, Belgium
2016, Leegte, De Ouverture, Cadzand-Bad, The Netherlands
2016, See@Sea, Square42, Ostend, Belgium
2016, Shizuoka Art Palet, Prefectual Museum of Art, Shizuoka, Japan
2016, Design - Art - Object, /NTRO, Ghent, Belgium
2015, Black&White, ID Collectief, Hamme, Belgium
2015, Ekspose.me, Affordable Art Fair, Brussels, Belgium
2006, Les Trois, PMMK, Ostend, Belgium
collections
Included in various private collections in Belgium, The Netherlands and United States.
2022, MErode, Ronse, Belgium
bibliography
2026, crete x bilbao, exhibition catalog, May
2026, Intieme interieurs, exhibition catalog, April
2026, Bilbao October 2025, monograph, April
2025, Crete June 2025, monograph, November
2025, Alles stroomt, exhibition catalog, November
2025, Achter de cover, Kunstletters #031, October
2025, Van den vos Reynaert, exhibition catalog, September
2025, Het merg van de kleur, exhibition catalog, June
2025, lisboa X côte d'azur, exhibition catalog, May
2025, Intimiteit, exhibition catalog, April
2025, S.O.S., exhibition catalog, April
2025, Côte d’Azur August 2024, monograph, March
2024, The Art Couch Review 2024, December
2024, Lisboa June 2024, monograph, November
2024, Tree Time, exhibition catalog, September
2024, OSD, exhibition catalog, May
2024, Thuis: op reis in het werk van Hilde Goossens, Art Couch, April
2024, Thuis, exhibition catalog, April
2024, Kufstein Tirol, Fall 2023, monograph, April
2024, De Kleurencombinatie, Kunstletters #24, January
2023, Valencia, Summer 2023, monograph, December
2023, Het Kruis als symbool, exhibition catalog, November
2023, Licht, lucht en water, exhibition catalog, September
2023, De intimiteit van papier, exhibition catalog, April
2023, Spring-Winter 2022-2023, monograph, April
2022, Summer 2022, monograph, December
2022, Circus Humanus, exhibition catalog, September
2022, Sit Down, monograph, May
2021, Virtual Visit, monograph, December
2021, Lustrum, Zebrastraat, exhibition catalog, November
2021, De Intimiteit van het schetsboek, Art Cahier #26, October
2021, Ateliers in beeld: Hilde Goossens, Kunstletters #14, July
2021, De keuze van Penelope Deltour, Kunstletters #12, January
2020, Coronaproof, Art Cahier #25, November
2020, Through Walls, YOC exhibition catalog, January
2018, Kastelenkunstroute Zottegem, exhibition catalog, June
2018, Uit de webgalerie, Kunstletters #1, April
2018, Parlando ma non troppo, exhibition catalog, August
2017, Sporen ... het landschap als herinnering, exhibition catalog, May
2016, Laat de verf maar druipen, KT Vlaanderen #361, November
2016, De Dans van de Zwaan, exhibition catalog Jardin d'amis X, August
2016, Structuren - Hilde Goossens, exhibition catalog, April
selected competitions and awards
2025, Certificate of Artistic Achievement, Luxembourg Art Prize
2025, Small Matters, Green Door Gallery Biennale, Brussels, Belgium
2025, De Kunstwedstrijd, CC Zwaneberg, Heist-op-den-Berg, Belgium
2023, Home, Green Door Gallery Biennale, Brussels, Belgium
2021, Penelope Deltour kiest uit de webgalerie van Kunstwerkt
2019, Yoc.be, Gallery Dessers, Hasselt, Belgium
2018, Sassafras De Bruyn kiest uit de webgalerie van Kunstwerkt
2016, Shizuoka Art Palet, Japan
2016, Hommage, top 105, Belgium
2015, Artist of the month - Zebrastraat, Gent, Belgium
education
2023 - 2026, Art History, SABK, Zottegem, Belgium
1994 - 1997, Visual Arts, with Great Distinction, Sint-Lucas Institute, Ghent, Belgium